Trends – Interchangeable straps are all the rage

For Baume & Mercier, Chopard and Hermès, the interchangeable nature of the Linea, Happy Sport and Heure H straps is well established and each new season brings new creations flaunting a whole new colour palette. Other brands have however succumbed more recently to the vogue of interchangeable straps. A brief anthology of feminine watches that thereby offer several models in one…

Online selection

Bulgari opts for color and personalization as a full-fledged style element with its Bulgari Bulgari Lady and Serpenti collections. While epitomizing the timeless nature of Roman style, these watches also adopt their owner’s changing moods thanks to a whole panoply of interchangeable straps. The new Serpenti models are for example sold with two leather double wrap straps that can be complemented by a wide choice of additional colors – why not royal blue or ruby red ? The Bulgari website offers an extremely convenient configurator enabling one to try on almost all the straps available for a given watch.

Glashütte Original does likewise with its Pavonina collection and its 20 or so colorful straps in leather or satin. The same goes for Jaeger-LeCoultre, via its Atelier Reverso. It is however the supremely feminine Rendez-Vous collection with its top-flight horological functions that reigns supreme in terms of elegant transformations by means of numerous alligator, ostrich or satin straps.

All brands are jumping onto the (watch)band-wagon

Another Fine Watchmaking ladies’ model, the Blancpain Calendar Moon Phase by Blancpain comes with five interchangeable straps. Whoever said that Haute Horlogerie is not compatible with a joyful touch ? Nothing could be simpler than to remove the black satin strap and fit another in red, midnight blue or sky blue alligator leather, in order to enjoy a brand-new watch ! And how about the elegant and sporty Overseas small model by Vacheron Constantin, sold with a steel bracelet plus leather and rubber straps ; or the new Reference 7140 Ladies First Perpetual Calendar by Patek Philippe delivered on a gray strap, accompanied by an additional turquoise strap ?

Hublot has even added its patented interchangeable strap-change system to the name of several collections. Be it the Big Bang One Click Cuddly Cuff, with its leather and fur cuff straps, the flashy One-Click Pop Art, or the One Click Steel White Diamonds with its rubber strap, they all reveal a range of fascinating facets.

The Shine “Etoile” by Raymond Weil also features a patented strap-change system activated by rotating the caseback. No tools and no risk of spoiling your manicure ! These smooth and easy move frees the watch from its attractive steel corset and enables it to team up with a a pleasingly light black or pink Repetto leather strap.

Renowned fashion experts, Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton have adopted accessory-style straps as a natural showcase for their timepieces. The classical RL888 is accompanied by a colorful range of leather or satin straps, while the French-based Maison is innovating with an interchangeable strap concept suited to all its Tambour models, including older ones.

Smart bands from smart brands

Smartwatches naturally deserved to be customized, notably via their bands. The Modular 45 from TAG Heuer, Summit by Montblanc and Tambour Horizon by Louis Vuitton also appeal to women, while Frederique Constantin offers its E-Strap that can be fitted to any given watch in order to connect it. This strap available in several colors features a discreet connected module integrated via the buckle.

Bulgari is not at all new to minute repeaters, with a brand portfolio that contains a plethora of basic to incredibly complicated chiming minute repeater along with sonnerie watches. It is, hence, not at all surprising that Bulgari continues coming up with impressive musical timepieces from the pursuit of producing the world’s thinnest. It is really interesting because, a few years ago, no one would have envisioned Bulgari to be one of those leaders in high-end mechanical watches – and however, today they create some of their best stuff.If you recall, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo collection also includes the world’s thinnest tourbillon watches, with the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon that surfaced along with the Bulgari Octo Finissimo collection back in 2014. Now a couple of years after, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater continues that heritage. It helps that the Bulgari Octo Finissimo is both contemporary and stylish and being traditionally appealing.In sandblasted titanium, this almost industrial finish isn’t what most men and women expect from a luxury luxury watch.